Strathard News; Free Christmas Edition Dec 2005 Issue 18 Local Children lead Curling Ceremony Aberfoyle Primary School was others’ countries every five recently invited to select two years. This 2-week tour took children to be flag bearers at the team to 18 ice rinks, from the opening ceremony of the Inverness and Elgin down to Scotland /Switzerland curling Dumfries and Lockerbie. match, held this November at On meeting the Scottish team, Forest Hills. Mairi McLellan the children also recognised and Christopher Addison were some old acquaintances; the two lucky youngsters, and Sandy Shearlaw and Betty they were joined on the day by Montgomery, who have young Kinlochard piper, Annie coached successive years of Minnaar. local school children at Forest The Opening Ceremony began Hills as part of the Curling with Annie, Mairi and Development Programme, and Christopher leading the two Irene Hird, who originally teams in a procession onto the initiated the programme. ice, and closed later with a Irene is now the Scottish beautiful rendition of ‘Amazing representative to the World Grace’ played on the Alpine Curling Federation, and the horn by Swiss Musician Linus children were delighted to be Auer, who accompanied the invited to sit with her in the team. The children were then viewing gallery with some Children with Swiss team(Top left), Mairi, Christopher and Annie with Linus presented with keepsake coffee and biscuits to watch the Auer(above right), receiving medals from Captain Urs Muller (top right), Watching medals by the Switzerland start of the match. An the match with Irene Hird(above left) captain, Urs Muller. Many of enjoyable and memorable the team members knew each morning for everyone, and other, as Swiss and Scottish back in time for maths in the teams take turns to tour each afternoon! hristmas countdown has begun. Important Notice From The Doctors Christmas at C We’re obliged to join the fun. Now’s the season to be jolly; Aberfoyle Medical Centre Tree Come ye faithful - spend your lolly. HOLIDAYS Price List “Silent Night” for ever more Please note that the Medical Centre will Blaring out in ev’ry store. be closed on the following dates: + Ev’ry year our precious nearest Monday 27th December 2004 Norway Spruce & Lodgepole Pine Do become by far the dearest; Tuesday 28th December 2004 3’ And Under 4’ (0.9m – 1.2m) £9 Youngsters want a video game, and 4’ And Under 5’ (1.2m – 1.5m) £11 Father, too - not quite the same! rd Aunt and uncle are quite safe: Monday 3 January 2005 5’ And Under 6’1 (5m – 1.8m) £12 th Talcum powder, after-shave! Tuesday 4 January 2005 6’ And Under 7’1 (8m – 2.1m) £15 Christmas bells are ding-a-linging? It would be helpful if all repeat 7’ And Under 8’ (2.1m – 2.4m) £17 No! The tills are madly ringing. prescriptions could be ordered by 8’ And Under 9’2 (4m – 2.75m) £21 Of all we may receive or give 15th December 9’ And Under 10’ (2.75 – 3.05m) £26 How materialistically we live; All doctors and staff would like to take 10’and Under 11’ (3.05 – 3.4m) £29 Lucky are those who reminisce: this opportunity to wish patients a Nordman Fir Once Christmas time meant joy Iand bliss! Happy Christmas and a Healthy New Year Sigrid Armitage 3’ And Under 4’ (0.9m – 1.2m) £13 4’ And Under 5’ (1.2m – 1.5m) £19 Season’s Greetings to All Our Readers 5’ And Under 6’ (1.5m – 1.8m) £26 from Ian, Norman, Marion, Dougie, Margaret & David Christmas Quiz 6’ And Under 7’ (1.8m – 2.1m) £30 1 Who declared that Christmas was ‘humbug’? 7’ And Under 8’ (2.1m – 2.4m) £31 2 Tar charms is coal. Who the dickens is that? 8’ And Under 9’ (2.4m – 2.75m) £33 3 Christmas Island is in which ocean? 9’ And Under 10’ (2.75m – 3.05m) £35 4 Can Christmas Day fall on Boxing Day? 5 What can be silent at Christmas? 6 Christmas Atoll is in which ocean? 7 A class Aunt can be which Christmas figure? 8 In which country was the Christmas card first designed in 1843? 9 Where is Christmas Ridge? 10 Where did the modern Christmas tree originate? Answers on page 15 DML Notice Board New Owners of Kinlochard Aberfoyle and Port of Menteith Kirk News TH Shop Repeat History SAT 4TH/SUN 5 DECEMBER Christmas Dates The first of three Christmas events weekends Shona and Richard Baston follow once concentrates on children’s activities: an again in the footsteps of a not forgotten opportunity to make your own Xmas cards and Sunday 19th December: Carol Service - decorations, bird feeders and wooden local hero - Donnie MacDonald. Donnie 10am at Port of Menteith and 11.15am at pendants. built the original “shack” on the grounds Aberfoyle. “Children’s crafts” is on from 12noon-4pm both of the village shop and he and his wife, Friday 24th December: Watchnight Serv- days. There will also be a wildlife walk each Margaret, ran a successful business from ice - 7.30pm at Port of Menteith and 11.30pm day in the company of our forest ranger, Katy Freeman (1pm -2pm). There is a small charge there for many a year. Soon after, he built at Aberfoyle. of £1.00 for both these events. Ardmore and life continued for him and Sunday 26th December: Sevice - 10am SAT 11TH/SUN 12TH DECEMBER his family in Kinlochard. When Donnie Port of Menteith and 11.15am Aberfoyle. As in the previous weekend, “Children’s Crafts” passed away, the Bastons purchased will still be on the menu, with the added Whether you are a visitor or a local resident attraction of a Christmas Treasure Hunt. On the Ardmore from Donnie’s sons and settled each of our Churches extends a warm wel- Sunday ONLY The Lodge is delighted to into their own life in a new view of the come to you, especially at this time of the welcome back The Lomond Mountain Rescue village. Not knowing that their previous celebration of the love of God brought to us Team for their annual Fun day, with all the tenant had originally built the shop, they by a child. traditional Christmas trimmings, including tombola, mulled wine and mince pies. There moved back into the site and started trad- The Boys’ Brigade will be on holiday will also be an appearance by our very special ing in September 2004. So if you’ve ever from Friday 17th December and resume canine friends from the local husky group. wondered about coincidences and odd on Friday 14th January. SAT 18TH/SUN 19TH DECEMBER turn-ups, surely this has to be one of them. The Guild Christmas Meeting will be held The David Marshall Lodge will be bursting at in Church House at 2p.m. on Monday the seams on our Christmas Fayre weekend, Were they guided or pushed? No matter, offering the last-minute shoppers a chance to a warm welcome will greet you in the shop 20th December 2004. choose an unusual or special gift from the shop just as it did at the kitchen door of May the joy and wonder of Christmas or the twelve craft stalls in attendance. come into your homes, may the Ardmore. Pop in and see for yourself. Demonstration workshops will be ongoing and blessing of good health and successful there will be a chainsaw sculptor displaying his endeavour be your reward in the New skills throughout the Sunday. Carol singing by Year. the local brownies can be heard between 1pm Changes to our Waste Collection and 2pm. There is a strong rumour SANTA Reverend Danny Gibb CLAUS will be paying us a visit around 2pm!! During October/November all green bins will be replaced by grey bins. The process of emptying, uplifting and replacing the bins will take place in one Adult Learning Programme day and involves three lorries - one to / January to March 2005 Macmillan Cancer Relief empy, one to uplift and one to drop off. delivered in partnership between The coffee morning, held in the Medical Centre The reason for the change is that the new on the 24th September in aid of the Macmillan bin lorries coming in November are Clackmannan and Falkirk Colleges Nurses, raised the magnificent sum of £800. designed to take the same style as the The classes starting in January are now We have been overwhelmed by the generosity brown bin. As you can understand this being planned, and cover a variety of of all the people who donated money, baking will take a great deal of organisation. topics including Computing, Languages and raffle prizes to this worthy cause. Please be patient with all the staff The Medical Garden Committee sincerely and Pottery. Brochures will be available involved in this. They really will be doing st thank all who supported the coffee morning from 1 December and our special thanks go to the Surgery ladies their best to make it go smoothly but even who worked so hard selling the raffle tickets a small hold-up, let alone a breakdown, For a free brochure please for two weeks; it is due to their efforts that can throw the timetable out. Once this phone 01360 441608 such a large sum was raised. Thank you all. is complete we should see a great Margaret McKeand improvement in the service. 2 Huskies No More….! editorial Welcome to our Christmas/New Year Sadly and for the What might be good enough for training edition.